Eccentric Peak TR

[Mtnman1830]

Rite of Passage an event, achievement, etc. in a person's life regarded as having great significance

On sunday, August 10, my son and I went with a friend and his son on the boy's first backpack trip.

We headed out to Roosevelt and the eastern flank of the Uinta mountains to bag the highpoint of both Dagget and Uinta Counties, Eccentric Peak (aka Chepeta Peak).

Just outside of Roosevelt, the 50 mile dirt road took us to Chepeta Lake. The road is pretty washboardy going up, but gets significantly better the higher you go.

It started raining before we got on the road, as is common in these mountains, but it really wasn't a downpour. Just enough to make things pretty wet.

When we arrived at the trailhead, thet water had quit falling from the sky, but as usually happens. It was now on the ground.

We unloaded the truck and headed the mile to where we thought we would camp. We didn't want to tire the kids out, and we were going to be out for four days. We were planning on doing a bit of hiking, and lots of fishing.

We set up camp between Papoose and Mocassain Lakes, and had dinner. We did a bit of fishing, enough to satisfy my 8 year olds yearning for the day and went to bed fairly early.

That night, I starte not feeling right, a bit of a stomach ache. I didn't feel like eating nothing for breakfast, but I forced down a cup of fruit. Not long after, I started to heave it up.

Not wanting to spoil the trip, I still wanted to bag the peak, and possibly Dagget Peak, which was only a mile further.

We hiked up to the dam between the two lakes, and climbed up the talus slope. The peak was only less than two miles away, and me not feeling good, I was hoping to make it. There is no trail to the peak so we just started going up until we couldn't go up any more.

My son didn't want to stick to the grassy parts of the mountain, he wanted to climb on the rocks - I was glad because my pace was gradually starting to slow. When he wanted to rest, it wasn't long enough.

I had expelled more fruit than I thought I had eaten, and was now dry heaving and was getting really tired (I don't suggest vomiting as a means of propulsion) about 3/4 of a mile from the peak, I layed down, fevered.

Thoughts running through my head of ruining the trip for the other three and disapointing my son urged me on.

I couldn't think of what my problem was. I had altitude sickness when I bagged Ibapah Peak - this wasn't the same. This should be an easy ascent.

There isn't a peak so to speak, but a large, flat plateau. Kinda anti climatic - but it is afterall, a highpoint.

Long story short, I buckled in and we came down after the peak, just doing an overnighter, with maybe 1/2 hour of fishing.

Sorry about the lack of pictures, I didn't feel like doing much but putting one foot in front of the other and finding the geocache at the top. At least my son said he had a good time.

[rwpontius]

Thanks for the TR Mtnman. I have been thinking about doing Eccentric Peak soon but am planning on going in through Spirit Lake on the North side. Is it hard to figure out which is the actual high point or even where the peak is?
RP

[James_B_Wads2000]

Thanks for the TR Mtnman1830, I have added it to the Utah High Pointing Index .

I found an old sheep trail that bypasses the talus slope above Moccasin Lake. If you follow the shore around Moccasin through the trees on the south side, then continue south a little more the talus slope opens up to a small meadow. Northeast side of that meadow is a trail that switches back a couple of times and leads you right to the top of the talus slope. It was much easier than climbing the talus.

We had a similar experience getting sick on Eccentric. We had drove thru Evanston and camped the night before near Flaming Gorge. In Evanston we stopped for lunch at Taco Johns, but when they wouldn

[Mtnman1830]

I ate at Arby's the night before. Thank God I didn't have the runs. I would much rather puke than explode.

[abirken]

Sounds to me like you had a good old fashioned Stomach virus that needed to runs its course. I admire that you kept going though!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What we do to not disappoint our kids eh? Great TR. Nice to get our kids out there and introduce them early to the joys of being outside. THUMBS UP DAD!

[Dean]

I was enjoying the TR and remembering my visit to the Chepeta Lake area when I did this highpoint and had the misfortune of locking my keys in my truck. Since it is a long way in and no chance of getting a locksmith (not that they could probably have helped with the keylock system), I ended up breaking one of the windows on my Tacoma (small one on access door) to
get my keys. I jerry rigged some carboard and duct tape so I could drive the 900 miles home to Washington.

Your "ill" stomachs also reminded me of a recent visit to Jackson Hole to do the Grand Teton. After the first day of climbing school, my friend Dennis and I ate at a local "outdoor" barbeque place. He ordered a buffalo burger and I ordered a regular burger. I ended up with the food poisoning and he ended up being able to climb the Grand. Food poisoning can sure ruin your day (or in this case, my hoped for plans).

[Scott P]

Good job with the kid, Mtnman.

I have been thinking about doing Eccentric Peak soon but am planning on going in through Spirit Lake on the North side. Is it hard to figure out which is the actual high point or even where the peak is?

The north side is definately prettier and the best way in. It's not that hard to find the summit/peak. See here for more information:

http://www.summitpost.org/mountain/r...peta-peak.html

http://www.summitpost.org/route/1641...ake-route.html

[Jaxx]

I can't believe you made it up with a fever. That is some hardcore hiking!

[pfinjt]

The north side is definitely prettier and the best way in. It's not that hard to find the summit/peak.

I climbed Eccentric Peak from the north side yesterday. It may be the prettier way, but it involves LOTS more talus fields and boulder hopping than the southern route. Trekking poles are a must if you have older knees like I do. There was quite a bit of downed timber to climb over and around at the start as well.

The drive in from the north is great, though. Nice smooth roads all the way.